The Veterans covered bridge in Scio.
The volunteer's covered bridge in Jewett.
Trail riders at our dedication
day.
Hildi James rests at one of
our many picnic tables.
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The Veterans covered bridge in Scio. |
The volunteer's covered bridge in Jewett. |
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Trail riders at our dedication
day. |
Hildi James rests at one of
our many picnic tables. |
Trail Overview
The Harrison County Conotton Creek Trail is a multi-use paved rail trail which extends 11.4 miles through northern Harrison County, Ohio. The eastern trail head is near the headwaters of Conotton Creek, a stream whose waters ultimately flows through the Muskingum Valley lakes to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Conotton Creek and the Trail meander side by side through small villages, farms, wetlands, pastures, and Ohio shale and sandstone cuts in the rolling hills of eastern Ohio. The Trail connects the villages of Bowerston, Conotton, Scio, and Jewett, towns where trail users will find parks, local museums, libraries, supplies and services needed for a day on the trail, and the area's most important asset, our local residents!
Awards we have won
Recreational, historical, and sightseeing opportunities
The area hosts numerous festivals and special events throughout the year. -Faith Ranch, one of the East's largest ranches offers camping, horseback riding, and retreats. -A very large elk farm is located on Rt. 164 near the Jewett end of the trail for drive-past views.
There is a growing population of Amish families bringing industry and color into the area. Many other interesting activities and unique sites.
History
Over the past 125 years the area has seen a variety of economic booms. Harrison County served as a major wool-producing region following the Civil War, and at the turn of the last century there was a major oil discovery in Scio. Rich coal reserves brought prosperity during the middle of this century, as did a large pottery manufacturing business. Today the area thrives on its sustaining industries related to agriculture, small manufacturing, recreation, and tourism. Many locals are employed in numerous nearby large cities.
Let's take a walk through history on the Conotton Creek Trail.
BOWERSTON, mile "0" on the trail:
In the early 1800's, 2 crude mills were built on the south side of the Conotton
Creek, which was then practically a wilderness. One mill was a sawmill and the
other was a gristmill. In 1804, Barnhard Bower with his brother John and their
families moved to the area and in 1812, started to rebuild the mills. In 1816,
the settlement was laid out and called Bower's Mills and later, Bowersville.
Eventually it became known as Bowerstown, then Bowerston. Now, Bowerston has
a village park, a state of the art library, a bike shop, a service station and
a restaurant
CONOTTON, mile "3"
Conotton, once called Masterville, was originally centered around a group of
mills as a dam just below the Conotton Creek Bridge. In 1812, Thomas Smith purchased
farmland near the settlement. The land remained in his family through generations.
Roy Smith and his father, former owners and builders of L.J. Smith Stairways,
has a stairway and lumber mill on the Conotton Creek. Smith was once visited
by the Wright Brothers as they researched light-weight woods for their airplane
construction. The business is still thriving and expanding in the Conotton Area.
SCIO, mile "6":
Settled in the 1800's by the Harrison Family from England. In 1836 George Turner
laid out the town of New Market. In 1867 rural seminary moved from Carroll County.
College students changed the village name to "Scio", which is a Latin
word meaning "to know or to have knowledge of". The famous oil boom
of 1898 increased the town's population from a few hundred to over 5,000. The
Theological college soon merged with Mount Union College, while the College
of Pharmacy merged with the school of pharmacy at the University of Pittsburgh.
Scio was the home of the famous Scio Pottery, the world's largest producer of
white dinnerware. Scio Historical Museum is located on Main and Carrollton,
and is open the 4th Sunday of the month by appointment. Scio is three miles
south of New Rumley, Birthplace of general George Armstrong Custer. An Ohio
Historical Marker and Park are on the birthplace site along with a large statue
of Custer.
JEWETT mile "11":
Incorporated in 1885; main lines of the Pennsylvania and Wheeling Lake Erie
Railroads went through the town and they had a railroad yard and shop. Jewett
Streetcar Company built streetcars in the early 1900's. In 1905 an enamelware
manufacture was based in Jewett. Now, Kammeyer Opera House hosts General George
Custer's annual Birthday celebration and also is a stop for steam-engine trail
excursions which roll in along the nearby bike/hike trail.
All four communities had the Pennsylvania and Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad lines running through their valleys. Trains were powered by coal-fired steam locomotives. One of these lines was closed when the railroads decided to share one line.
Beauty
Besides our beautiful people we can offer spectacular scenery in the rolling
hills of eastern Ohio. Our trail wends its way through Wetlands, rolling hills,
lakes and small communities where the breeze seems always in your face. Flowers,
both wild and domestic, abound, especially in the spring and in the month of
August. Over 40 birdhouses have been placed along the trail and are well maintained
to attract Tree Swallows and Bluebirds. Wildlife is abundant due to the many
waterways and mixed forests, and the farmlands spotted throughout the region.
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The Bowerston staging area
and the ponds east of town. |
You will be able to see many
different types of wild flowers or butterflies. |
What's New?
Thanks to donations of time and funds we are constantly adding new facilities and amenities along our trail every day. We now have at least ___ picnic tables and ___benches and are adding a rest room in Scio, the central portion of the trail. "Porta-Potties" are placed when and where needed in the summer months. Flowers and trees are planted and maintained at various places along the right of way. There are 6 bridges crossing the Conotton Creek 2 of which are the first of several planned covered bridges and with construction of the next covered bridge underway now. An overlook is available now with others planned at one or more scenic places. Re-paving of the trail is being planned to protect our investment.
Events
Regular meetings of trail supporters are held on the 2nd. Wednesday of each month except in December. The meetings rotate from Bowerston to Scio to Jewett each month. We have an annual "Poker Run" in the summer to raise funds and to get together with all our friends and visitors.
Our tentative meeting schedule for 2004 and 2005 is shown below.
2004 Jan 14 Jewett. |
2005 Jan 12 Scio. |
Map and Directions
Click here for .pdf copy of the Conotton Creek Trail Map.
Click within the map below and drag the map around to see the different sections of the Conotton Creek Trail. You may also zoom into each section with the zoom tool above. If you are unable to see this map, you may download a .pdf version here.
To contact us call 740 945 email our newsletter editor listed below.
The Conotton Creek Connection
Email ccctrailnews@hotmail.com
Contributions can be sent to:
HARRISON COUNTY CONOTTON CREEK TRAIL FUND
c/o CROSSROADS RC&D
277 CANAL AVENUE, SE, Suite C
NEW PHILADELPHIA, OH 44663-2320